Act II.—The Sleuth-Hound.
Time—Next morning.
Grumpy. Tut-tut. Is everything just as it was last night? Very well, then. You say that when you discovered Mr. Ernest he was lying on his back, and in his right hand he was clutching this—what did you call it?
Ruddock (the valet). A dicky, Sir. A detachable shirt-front.
Grumpy. Excellent. Then the first question is—to whom did this—er—richard belong?
Ruddock. Yes, Sir.
Grumpy (musing). Could it have been his own? In the fierceness of the struggle might he have torn it off in order to give himself greater freedom? Was he offering it to his assailant as a bribe? Was he—but first we must find if he was wearing one at all. Call Susan.
Enter Susan, the lady's-maid.
Grumpy. Susan, you were the first to see Mr. Ernest when he came in last night. Did you happen to notice if he was wearing a detachable shirt-front, a—h'm—dicky?
Susan. Yes, Sir.
Grumpy. Ah! (He hands her the all-important clue.) Was this it?
Susan (examining it). No, Sir.
Grumpy. Tut-tut, are you sure?
Susan. Yes, Sir; Mr. Ernest's was an india-rubber one. I know, because he said he'd been travelling all day, and he asked me to sponge it for him.
Grumpy. Thank you, Susan. Ruddock, we must find that india-rubber richard. If Ernest has his assailant's shirt-front, what more likely than that his assailant has Ernest's? Probably they exchanged them before the battle, as, you may remember, Glaucus and Diomed did at the siege of Troy.
Ruddock. Yes, Sir.
Grumpy. Every shirt-front we see we must suspect. Let us go and look for some.
[Exeunt.
Enter Jarvis and Virginia.
Virginia. Still in evening dress, Mr. Jarvis?
Jarvis. Yes, I was so busy fetching the doctor last night that I had no time to change. I am going back to London now. (Tenderly) I should like to think you had some little memento of me. (He removes his shirt front.) Keep this and think of me sometimes when you look at it.
Virginia. Oh, Mr. Jarvis! But I must give you something too. (She goes out and returns with one of her grandfather's shirt-fronts.) Wear this in place of the one you have given me—always.
[Exit.
Re-enter Grumpy.
Grumpy. Now, Mr. Jarvis, I wonder if you would help me. You were the first to find the body last night. Would you mind lying down in the position in which it lay? It may give me an important clue.
Jarvis. Certainly. (He prepares to lie down.)
Grumpy. Take care, you mustn't crumple your shirt-front. Perhaps it removes? Ah, allow me. (He detaches it and hastily substitutes the other one for it.) Ah, thank you so much. Here is your shirt-front again.
[Exit Jarvis.
Ruddock (eagerly). Is that it, Sir?
Grumpy (examining Jarvis's shirt-front carefully). No, linen, confound it. Ruddock, we must find that india-rubber richard. Who has it? Ah!
Curtain.